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Todd Akin: I’m running, but not to Tampa

A defiant Todd Akin, the embattled Republican Senate candidate from Missouri, vowed on Wednesday to stay in the race, but he also said he will respect wishes from party leaders who want him to skip the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

“The people of Missouri chose me to be their candidate. I don’t think it’s right for party bosses to override [them],” Akin said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Akin, who is running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, took intense heat from top GOP brass after he said that in instances of “legitimate rape,” pregnancy often does not occur, a statement for which he has since apologized. Akin, a Missouri congressman and member of the House Science Committee, acknowledged that he was “medically wrong” and again distanced himself from his earlier comments on “Good Morning America.”

“I understand that rape is a terrible and a tragic and a violent crime and that’s why I have apologized for using that word ‘legitimate,’ because it doesn’t belong here,” Akin said, adding that he wasn’t apologizing for being pro life.

Akin won a bloody primary battle earlier this summer, and he said those votes should be respected.

“I know that the voters took a look at our hearts, understood who we were, had a chance to meet us in many, many different ways and made a decision,” he said. “And it makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses are going to dictate who runs as opposed to the election process. I believe in that principle.”

Akin initially didn’t give a direct answer when asked whether he might eventually drop out of the race.

“I’m never going to say everything that could possibly happen,” he said, but when pressed later, he said he had decided to stay in and that he could win.

He also went on offense against McCaskill.

“I’ve made the decision to stay in because I believe that we can win this race: There’s such a strong contrast between me and my opponent, we’re about opposite on all things,” Akin said, citing their positions on abortion and President Barack Obama’s health care plan. “I think that contrast gives us a basis to win this. And I’m planning to win it.”

Meanwhile, Akin revealed in a separate interview on Wednesday that Paul Ryan called and advised him to step down for the good of the Republican Party.

“Paul Ryan did give me a call,” said Akin on NBC’s “Today Show.” “He advised me that it would be good for me to step down.”

“I told him that I would be looking at it very seriously … it’s not about me, it’s about standing on principle,” Akin explained.

Akin, however, let the Tuesday withdrawal deadline pass without dropping out, defying Ryan, Mitt Romney and a host of other top Republicans.

The Missouri Republican also continued to backtrack from his controversial statements about “legitimate rape.”

“‘Legitimate’ should not be in the context of rape at all … there is no rape that is legitimate. It’s a heinous crime,” Akin said Wednesday. “While I apologize for the use of the word, I don’t apologize for the fact that I’m strong in my pro-life beliefs.” Akin also further walked back his suggestion that female body has a mechanism to prevent rape from leading to conception. “I was misinformed, and I recognize that.”

Asked by NBC host Matt Lauer whether he thought many women lied about rape in order to get an abortion, Akin said he did not believe so.

Readers' Comments (33)

in 2008 the sanctimonius religous zealots within the teabirther party, fervently prayed for a deluge to strike the dem convention and ruin it. But, hurricane gustav struck during their convention...dubya had to leave, and most of the scheduled hateful speeches were cancelled...God said NO to their hateful prayer..the dem convention was magnificent...went off without a hitch.

fast foward to today...once again the anti-American teabirthers are praying for a catastrophy to strike the dem convention...meanwhile hurricane isaac is bearing down on southern FL, and is scheduled to hit tampa at 2am, monday morning.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS ALL MEANS?

LORD WILLARD, STOP LYING TO US ABOUT YOUR TENURE AT BAIN, AND RELEASE YOUR TAXES SO THE PATRIOTS CAN SEE WHAT YOU AND LADY ANN ARE TRYING TO HIDE FROM US!

Whatever I think of Todd Akin, he was elected by the voters of the state of Missouri. It's called democracy.

Now Karl Rove and his dirty, secrete money that is coming from Mexican drug lords for all we know, is trying to buy Akin's departure and appoint and anoint his own personally picked candidate. Just say no to the disgusting Rove and his hatred for democracy.

Save democracy. Save Todd Akin's right to represent the voters who voted for him to be their nominee.

He could go join Ron Paul and Sarah Palin and give a speech in a parking lot somewhere.

This will do him no good, of course, because everyone knows all the real conservatives will be inside singing high hosannas to and glorifying with rapturous devotion thier beloved prophet of profit, Mitt Romney - the REAL conservative in the race.

It's not the liberal media that's out to get you Todd. Liberals see you as the honest representation of GOP policies. The same policies that Paul Ryan stands for and Mitt Romney has embraced.

The people out to get you are the bullies of the GOP. I give you great credit for standing up to these bullies who have no respect for democracy or the voters of Missouri. These bullies are throwing around the power that comes from the millions and millions that they get from their secret donors.

Stay strong Todd. You now have the weight of American democracy on your shoulders.

We can only keep our democracy if we stay strong in the face of the war Karl Rove is waging against democracy.

Here's a question. Does the left really believe the things they say on these threads, or do they know it's BS and just use to to confuse less 'intelligent' people?

Oooo! I've got a question too.

Dos the right really believe the things they say on these threads, or are they just reliably obedient bootlickers for the GOP elite and establishment, and will always do excatly what thier beloved Republican Party tells them to do - and say?

A Gallup poll released on Monday showed that 56 percent of swing-state voters in this year’s presidential election say they are not better off than they were four years ago. A majority, 52 percent, said President Obama has not “done as well as could be expected when dealing with the economy.” The poll covered 12 swing states, including New Hampshire.

That poll followed a Gallup poll released last week that found strong disapproval of President Obama’s handling of economic issues. The President’s approval rate was only 37 percent on the issue of job creation, 36 percent on the economy and 30 percent on the federal budget deficit.

It is not hard to see why the President draws such low numbers. His policies do not work. Obamacare does not fix the rising cost of health care in the United States. Obamanomics has not fixed Wall Street or the economy or entitlements or the federal deficit.

Isn’t it sad to see real conservatives sully themselves so for Mitt Romney?

I mean, conservatives, The Tea Party, Republicans, and the right wing claim over and over and over again how the individual is paramount.

Conservatives are strong individualists. They adore Ayn Rand – just like Paul Ryan does – and they think the individual comes first, not that horrible authoritarian evil American government (We the people…) and their thievery in the form of taxes.

Yet, here they are on here today saying that it’s not about Akin the individual. It’s about what’s best for The Republican Party.

You see, they get “community” quick with the community in question is their beloved Republican Party.

Akin made a mistake but to re-elect this woman who said "back room deals, payoffs, bribes" are just "{business as usual in the Congress and no one should be upset about them" is a worse mistake. Claire McCaskill must go!!!! Right now the establishment GOP should worry about their own races and let Akin deal with his. Stupid mistake by him: You Betcha" Stupid mistake to re-elect the extreme radical obama lover McCaskill. Double YOU BETCHA!

"Conservatives are strong individualists. They adore Ayn Rand – just like Paul Ryan does – and they think the individual comes first, not that horrible authoritarian evil American government (We the people…) and their thievery in the form of taxes."

The individal must come first or liberal people ike yourself will have the individuals marching to the "ovens" as a corrupt government of "We the people perverted by the 32% known a demo-crats" cheer at the "ethinic cleansing" of those stupid enough to believe that INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN AN OPPRESSIVE DEMO-CRAT PARTY FEDERAL COLLECTIVE GOVERNMENT